Trace-protector.



C. A. NOLAND.

TRACE PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED 111 11.20, 1911.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911;.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE A. NOL-AND, OF LUCERNE, MISSOURI.

TRACE-PROTECTOR To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE A. NOLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lucerne, in the county of Putnam, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trace-Protectors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to trace protectors and has for its object to provide a device of this character formed from a single piece of sheet metal and which when attached to the ends of traces protects the same from tearing at their points of connection with the swingletree buttons.

A further object of the invention is to produce an article of this character which is simple in construction, durable and eflicient in operation and one which. may be manufactured cheaply.

In the drawing :Figure1 is a side elevation of the invention, showing the same attached to the end of a trace. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, the trace being removed. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. l, the trace being removed. Fig. 4 is a plan View of the blank from which the protector is formed.

The protector is formed from a single piece of sheet metal, and is so folded as to produce an upper wall 1 and lower wall 2, each of said walls having their outer ends formed integral with an end wall 3. The top and bottom walls are both formed with integral side flanges 4, said flanges having their inner edges beveled as at 5 in the drawing to more readily permit folding of the rotector. The end Wall 3 is provided with integral side flaps 6, which are adapted to overlap the side flan es 4 when the protector is in its folded posltion and upon the end Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 20, 1911.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911.

Serial No. 622,352.

of the trace. The inner ends of the side flanges 4 are each provided with diametrically opposite perforations 7, and the side flaps 6 are each provided with a pair of alined openings 8 which when folded upon the side flanges register with the openings 7 formed in the side flanges and through which rivets or the like are passed to secure the protector to the trace. The side flanges 4 are provided near their inner ends with extensions 9, each of which is formed with perforations l0, and when said side flanges are folded the perforations 10 in the extensions are arranged in registered relation, and through which bolts on rivets are passed to securely hold the protector at these ends to the trace. The lower edges of the side flanges 4 and extensions 9 are spaced apart a sufficient distance to provide a space 11 to permit the passage of the usual button 12 of a swingletree through the eye 13 in the trace.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have produced a device of this character which is simple in construction and may be easily and quickly applied to the usual trace to protect the same against wear and tear.

hat is claimed, is

As a new article of manufacture, a trace protector formed from a single piece of sheet metal having an end wall, side flaps and upper and lower walls, each of said upper and lower walls having side flanges, said side flaps overlapping the outer ends of the side flanges and said side flanges having their edges spaced apart with means for securing the protector to a trace.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE A. NOLAND.

Witnesses:

G. E. McOUToHEN, G. W. UNDERWOOD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C." 

